GUWAHATI: The Assam government on Friday announced that it will provide a financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh for improving the infrastructures of 8000 Namghars (prayer halls) located in various parts of the state under the Assam Darshan scheme.  

Assam’s Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “We have directed the respective deputy commissioners (DC) of all the districts of the state to select 55 beneficiary Namghars from each assembly constituencies. Each Namghar will receive financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh for improving their infrastructures.”

According to Sarma, the DCs will shortlist 7000 beneficiary Namghars at the district level. However, “The state will redistribute rest of the 1000 beneficiary Namghars after carefully examining the list of 7000 beneficiaries prepared by the DCs,” the Minister said.

If certain constituencies lack 55 Namghars, the allotted beneficiaries will be redistributed in other constituencies that accommodate more Namghars.  

He stressed that preference will be given to those Namghars having a rich historical legacy. “When we say Namghars, it must be established by the ideological foundation of the Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Mahapurush Madhabdev, Damodardev and Haridev – following the neo-Vaishnavite movement.”

The Minister further said that preference will also be given to those Namghars located in the villages that are relatively and economically weaker. Temple, Mosque and Churches will ne be eligible for this scheme.

Highlighting that the scheme will be rolled out from the first week of October, he added, the scheme will also benefit the Namghars located outside the state.

The senior Minister also announced the approval of Rs 10 lakh each for 377 historical religious institutions like a temple, mosque and churches.